Processes in Microbial Ecology Kirchman David L. Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Biosciences University of Delaware USAPaperback

Microbial ecology is the study of interactions among microbes in natural environments and their roles in biogeochemical cycles, food web dynamics, and the evolution of life. Because they are essential players in the carbon cycle and related processes, microbial ecology is a vital science for understanding the role of the biosphere in global warming and the response of natural ecosystems to climate change.This second edition has been fully revised, restructured, and updated while remaining concise and accessible. Microbes are the most numerous organisms in the biosphere and mediate many critical reactions in elemental cycles and biogeochemical reactions.

The focus is on biogeochemical processes, starting with It discusses the major processes carried out by viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other protists - the microbes - in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems.